You know my dad pushed me to believe that I was going to be the best. I just never thought of life without tennis even looking forward.

I knew I was going to be a journalist when I was eight years old and I saw the printing presses rolling at the Sydney newspaper where my dad worked as a proofreader.

The only time I think about life beyond F1 is when I contemplate becoming a dad. But there's no way that's going to happen while I'm still racing. To be successful in F1 you need to be very selfish in lots of ways and you're away from home for long periods. That's not the kind of father I want to be.

In my case I was born to parents who were very young and I don't think they were entirely ready to have a child. My dad was going to college and working two or three jobs at the same time and my mum was working and going to school.

I was into the Mets because my Dad worked at IBM where he got free Mets tickets so I was into the Mets... then I got to 'Saturday Night Live' where my boss has unbelievable N.Y. Yankees tickets so he invites us to the games. I'm going to all the games so I might as well root for the team I'm gonna go sit with.

My dad has been married to his wife for 15 years and wherever he goes there better be a seat for her. I like real couples that tell you how to get through on Wednesdays when you're just at the end of your rope - the ones who really know how to make it through. We have to stop looking at Hollywood couples because you're going to get disappointed.

Often as a child you see someone with a learning disability or Down's Syndrome and my mum and dad were always very quick to explain exactly what was going on and to be in their own way inclusive and welcoming.

I say this as a young dad seeing children going into primary school: I don't think we should underestimate the formative effect on a child of those first years in primary school.

My dad is the nicest guy you'll ever meet and the easiest going.

Going to the theater is such a joyous experience. My dad would take my sister and me to plays when we were very young like six or seven years old.

It is a sad commentary of our times when our young must seek advice and counsel from 'Dear Abby' instead of going to Mom and Dad.

It's an ongoing joy being a dad.

My friends say 'Man you're going to have kids sleeping on pillowcases with your face on it! You're going to be on toothbrushes and magnets and stuff.' I guess now that I'm a dad I'm thrilled about that.

I asked my daughter when she was 16 What's the buzz on the street with the kids? She's going to be honest Dad most of my friends aren't into Kiss. But they've all been told that it's the greatest show on Earth.

And I saw the sax line-up that he had behind him and I thought I'm going to learn the saxophone. When I grow up I'm going to play in his band. So I sort of persuaded my dad to get me a kind of a plastic saxophone on the hire purchase plan.

Where I come from you don't really talk about how much you're earning. Those things are private. My dad never told my mum how much he was earning. I'm certainly not going to tell the world. I'm doing well.

I think a dad has to make his daughter feel that he's genuinely interested in what she's going through.

I'm not sure what the future holds but I do know that I'm going to be positive and not wake up feeling desperate. As my dad said 'Nic it is what it is it's not what it should have been not what it could have been it is what it is.'

I like to think my dad was easygoing and kind and I think some of those things have been passed down. I am like him in a sense of being positive and hopeful. He was compassionate and I've got a lot of that in me as well.

I kept my babies fed. I could have dumped them but I didn't. I decided that whatever trip I was on they were going with me. You're looking at a real daddy.

There is too much fathering going on just now and there is no doubt about it fathers are depressing.

I made a decision when my father passed away that I was going to be who God made me to be and not try to preach like my father.

Remember in 1973 the same science chatter said that the coming Ice Age is going to occur we're going to lose millions of people. And the politicians knew how to solve it they just didn't have the courage to solve it they were going to put coal dust on the Arctic.

Intellectuals try to keep going. But their situation is very difficult. Those who have had the courage to voice their opposition have often paid a very high price.